Phoenix: Book One of The Stardust Series by Autumn Reed, Julia Clarke Read Free Book Online Page A

Self-conscious about standing there in nothing but his boxers and a
T-shirt, I crossed my arms over my chest and looked away.
    I was surprised when he
walked to the table and grabbed a hoodie off the back of one of the chairs
before handing it to me. “Here, you look like you could use this.” It was red
and had the Anaheim Angels logo across the front. Grateful for more clothing,
especially since it was cool in the cabin, I thanked him and pulled it over my
head. It was big on me but warm and smelled faintly like cedar.
    Ethan pulled out a
wooden chair for me next to the round table. I sat down awkwardly, trying to
avoid putting more pressure than necessary on my ankle. The chair felt sturdy
but creaked under my weight. The table was set with plain silverware that was
flat and patternless. It felt like the type of silverware you would find at a
cheap, roadside diner.
    He turned back to the
stove. “Almost ready,” he said, still facing away from me. Shaking the pan of
scrambled eggs with one hand, he calmly ran the other through his chestnut
hair. He moved with ease, clearly in his element.
    A minute or two later,
Ethan set a large, plain plate down in front of me piled high with scrambled
eggs, toast, and fruit. “I didn’t have a lot of options, so hopefully you like
eggs.” The steaming breakfast filled my senses with longing.
    Before I could respond,
my stomach growled loudly. Ethan just laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He
handed me a glass of orange juice and a sealed bottle of over-the-counter pain
medication. “Take two with your food to help with your ankle. After breakfast,
it needs an ice pack and elevation.” I stifled my urge to salute him.
    Ethan pulled out a
chair and sat down across from me. Despite his size, he moved smoothly, more
like an acrobat than a cat. I thanked him and quickly tucked into the savory
scrambled eggs and sweet fruit. Perhaps it was my hunger talking, but I was
pretty sure this was one of the best breakfasts I had ever tasted.
    I had almost cleaned my
plate when I felt his eyes on me, and I slowly raised my own. His dark brown
eyes betrayed a hint of wonder. I quickly looked down and folded my hands in my
lap, embarrassed. I didn’t often eat in front of others, and while my dad had
taught me manners, I was so consumed by hunger I had forgotten to use them.
    He chuckled, “Don’t let
me stop you. There’s more if you’re still hungry.”
    I shook my head. “I’m
good. Thank you for the delicious breakfast. And for taking care of my
injuries.”
    He responded with, “No
problem.”
    My hunger mostly
satisfied, I picked at the remaining food, contemplating what to say next.
Ethan spoke first, breaking the silence. “Feeling better now?” I nodded. I
still felt like I had been run over by a train, but the shower and breakfast
helped dramatically.
    Debating how to broach
the subject of my dad, my pulse quickened. Not knowing who Ethan was and what
he knew, I needed to tread carefully. “You said you saw my dad get away from
the fire?”
    The light coming in
through the windows glinted on his hair and face. I noticed the shadow of
stubble on his jawline. He nodded, his hair shifting slightly with the
movement. He looked a few years older than me; I guessed he was in his early to
mid-twenties. I was struck again by how handsome he was.
    Fiddling with the
napkin in my lap, I hoped to keep my voice calm and level. I didn’t want to
reveal anything more than necessary about me or my dad. Nor did I want to show
how nervous he made me. Looking down to keep from staring at his chiseled face,
I finally said, “I kind of live in the middle of nowhere. What were you even doing
there?”
    He answered slowly, as
if weighing what he should say. “I was in the area and noticed the smoke. Since
I have medical training, I went to the scene to see if I could help.”
    I internally scoffed at
his response. Did he really expect me to believe that he just happened to be in
the area?